TWO INSECT-PRODUCTS FROM PERSIA. 163 



The saccharine principle, which has been especially examined 1859. 

 by M. Berthelot, and named by him Trehalose, is a body analo- M. Berthelot. 

 gous to cane-sugar, but possessing distinctive properties, which 

 separate it from that and all other varieties of sugar. 



M. Bourlier states that Trdhala, which is abundant in the Trihaia 

 shops of the Jew drug-dealers of Constantinople, is frequently c<mstauti- n 

 used by the Arab and Turkish physicians in the form of a nople. 

 decoction, which is regarded by them as of peculiar efficacy in 

 diseases of the respiratory organs. 



The second insect-product to which I would draw attention, n. Product. 

 is a saccharine substance resembling dark honey. Mr. Loftus, 

 who obtained it near Kirrind, 13th July, 1851, and whose 

 specimen is in the British Museum, states that it is exuded from 

 a species of thistle when pierced by a Ehynchophorous insect ; 

 but he fails to inform us for what purposes it is used by the 

 inhabitants. 



Mr. Loftus having also presented the Museum with excellent 

 specimens both of the plant and insect, I am able to state that 

 the former is Echimps persicus, Fisch., and the latter a new Echinops per- 

 species of Larinus, to which M. Jekel has applied the n ame*^ w ^^" 

 Larinus mellificus, and of which he has drawn up the following ficus. 

 description : 



"LAKINUS MELLIFICUS, Jekel (Fig. 3). Breviter ovatus, 

 convexus, niger, nitidus ; infra subtiliter, lateribus thoracis 

 margineque elytrorum intus medio versus angulariter ampliata, 

 apicem occupante griseo-cinerascenti tomentosis; rostro leviter 

 punctate, basi utrinque bicanaliculato cum elevatione media 

 lata subcariniformi ; thorace subconico antice tubulato, supra 

 confertim sat rude punctato, lateribus subrugoso ; elytris striato- 

 punctatis, interstitiis latis, planis, transversim subtilissime 

 rugulosis, cum abdomine tenuissime alutaceis, punctis majoribus 

 reinotioribus impressis ; pectore, lateribus, pedibusque rugoso- 

 punctatis, femoribus infra fortiter oblique costato-rugosis ; tibiis 

 intus, anticis fortius crenulatis. Long, (rostr. excl.) 16-18, lat. 

 elytr. 8-9 mill. 



" Patria Persia, prope Kirrind, ubi Echinopsidis speciem 

 frequentat, cujus plantse caules ab hoc insecto puncti materiam 

 quamdam saccharinam sudant." W. K Loftus, Mus. Brit. 



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